All Chapters of The Cruel Alpha Is My Mate: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Aria I still had doubts about Dexter’s generosity, but even so, I couldn’t dismiss that stepping out of the door, locked away for days, felt like stolen peace.Crisp and clean, but with the faint fragrance of pine and damp earth in the air, it first hit me as the fresh air. The leaves swished around me as quiet lullabies rolled through the wind. Something so simple, something I used to take granted, was a luxury now.I was in the middle of the packhouse courtyard, gazed up at the trees that rose up to what looked like immense heights toward the sky, the branches swaying quietly against the light of afternoon. It was beautiful, in a way I did not imagine. Somewhere that did not feel safe but a little piece of serenity tucked away.My eyes closed for a moment and I inhaled deep, feeling it.Freedom.Even if it was temporary. Even if it was an illusion.Because I knew what Dexter was. What he was capable of.And I knew better than to think that this was anything more than a calculated d

AriaFor the past three days, I hadn’t seen Dexter. Not in the packhouse, not around the training grounds, not even lingering in the shadows the way he usually did. His absence gnawed at me in ways I couldn’t explain — and didn’t want to admit. As much as I hated to see his face and feel the pressure of his presence, not seeing him at all left an uncomfortable hollow in my chest. It was pathetic. But it was there.His mother, on the other hand, hadn’t missed a chance to let me know exactly what she thought of me. Her eyes burned into my skin every time they landed on me — cold, sharp, unforgiving. I could feel her hatred cling to me like a second skin, but I didn’t give a damn. Not now.I wanted air. Fresh air. Away from their suffocating glares, away from the heavy silence that had weighed down on me for days. I needed to feel something other than confusion and tension wrapping around my chest like chains.So I ran.As soon as I arrived in the woods, I straight away shifted into my w

AriaThe door slammed shut, rattling the frame. The moment he stormed back into the room, I shot up from the bed, heart racing. “What the fuck have you done to him?” My voice cracked, but I didn’t care. Rage boiled through me. “I told you — it’s not what you think, you bastard!”I had sat there in his room all day worried sick, Dexter can be brutal and wouldn't care if Lucas died. The way he threw him at his men earlier... my mind trails off as I imagined the worse, fear gripping me. I had picked on my nail too much, it's hurting now."I hope you didn't hurt him?" I barked as I pulled his hand unconsciously.He didn’t flinch. He stood there, chest rising and falling, his eyes cold, dark, and merciless. He dragged his gaze down to me like I was dirt under his boots.“Hm. Let’s see…” His voice was cruelly calm. “A few broken ribs.”I sucked in a sharp breath. No. No, he wasn’t bluffing. His eyes burned with too much satisfaction.“A limb… dislocated. Finger broken.” He rolled his should

DexterI was already in a foul mood when the guards announced Alpha Wren’s arrival. The moment I heard his name, I knew this day was about to get messier. He didn’t come alone. No, of course not. Sophia was right beside him, wearing that soft smile that made everyone think she was sweet and harmless. But I knew better. That woman could twist anyone around her little finger, and right now, she was about to try that shit with me.I stood by the window, fists clenched, watching them step out of the car. Wren looked pissed — his jaw tight, his steps heavy. He wasn’t here for pleasantries. I could feel it.My mother rushed into the room, fixing her hair like she was about to host a damn tea party. “They’re here,” she whispered.“No shit,” I muttered.I straightened, running a hand down my face. I hated this part. Politics. Pretending. I wasn’t built for that crap. But I couldn’t afford to fuck this up.The door opened, and Wren marched in like he owned the place. His eyes landed on me, sha

AriaI slammed the bedroom door shut so hard the walls shook.His room. My prison.I stood there, breathing hard, fists clenched at my sides. My heart pounded like it was trying to break out of my chest, and for a second, I couldn’t tell if I was angry or just hurt.No. Angry. I was angry.I paced the room, back and forth, my feet dragging like they weighed a ton. The carpet muffled my steps, but it didn’t muffle the storm in my head.What the fuck was that downstairs?Sophia. Sitting on his lap like she owned him. Smiling. Kissing him. Wrapping herself around him in front of everyone — in front of me.I wasn’t supposed to care.I didn’t love him. I didn’t even like him. He was cruel. Arrogant. He treated me like I was nothing. Just something to tie down and keep in a room like a fucking pet.But standing there, watching her touch him like that, watching him letting her.It felt like my chest was caving in for goddess’s sake.As I did, I swallowed hard and placed my palm against my st